The West Bengal Society is a cosmopolitan society. The population of the state is 68 million comprising of people from different religion, sect, race and tribe. The cosmopolitan nature of the society makes it more lively and dynamic. The people of West Bengal are friendly and amicable and this is quite evident when you visit the state during the festive seasons of Durga Puja, Diwali and Christmas.
The West Bengal Society is also known for its unique delicacies. Its a gastronomic paradise for food lovers who come here to enjoy rossogolla, bhapa illish, luchi, aloo dum, macher kalia, chingri macher malai curry and many more.
Hindi Language
Hindi is a prevalently spoken language of the state of West Bengal. The various communities that have settled in the capital city of Kolkata and the other cities interact in the Hindi language. The national language of Hindi is popular mode of communication among the non native masses of the state.
The language of Hindi is the most popularly spoken language of the country. The language is spoken in the state of West Bengal as well. The natives of the state prevalently communicate in the language of Bengali. With the development of commercial centers in the state, different communities of the country were attracted to the state and settled in the cities. The capital city of the West Bengal, Kolkata is a metropolis which is the hub of settlements of different communities. The non native residents of the state of West Bengal speak in the Hindi language.
Hindi is popularly used among the business classes who have settled in various parts of the state. Realizing the importance of the language, Hindi has also been made a part of the academic curriculum and is taught in schools and colleges. The state has several schools with the medium of studies conducted in the language of Hindi.
Bengali Language
The language prevalently spoken by the people of the state of West Bengal is Bengali. Bengali is a Indo Aryan language derived from the alphabets of the Devanagari script. The Brahmi script also had an influence on the language. Bengali is commonly used in the state of West Bengal and in the country of Bangladesh.
Different dialects of the Bengali language is used in other states of Assam and Manipur. The language follows two styles of speaking. The sadhubhasha is the elegant form of the language and uses several words directly incorporated from the Sanskrit language. This is the traditional form of the language and is used as incantations in the ritualistic ceremonies. The style was earlier popular among the educated masses who developed the form of the language as a literary style. The use of this style is difficult and is not in use among the majority of masses. The colloquial form of the language appears in the form of the chalitbhasha. This form of the language is popular among the masses at large and developed from the speaking styles of the people of Kolkata.
Manasa Ghat
Pottery has been an indigenous art practiced by the people of West Bengal. The cottage industry of pottery making is long prevalent in this state of India. It is mainly the occupation of the rural people of West Bengal. Manasa Ghat is one such type of pottery of West Bengal. This profession is mainly carried further by the village women. But some times the men offer a helping hand to them. In West Bengal, the districts of Bankura, Murshidab and Midnapore are still famous for the hand made pottery.
The art of making Manasa Ghat is generally prevalent in the rural areas of West Bengal. In the districts of Midnapore, especially in the Garbeta area and Bankura district these types of pottery are made. The word Mansa is associated with the serpent goddess much respected and worshiped in the village areas of the state. The word Ghat means a pot or vase.
Culture
West Bengal is one of the states of India with a rich and glorious cultural heritage. People from various sect, tribe and religious background live in the state and follow different rituals and customs, thus enriching the culture of west Bengal. The cultural diversity of the state is reflected through the various languages and dialects.
Various art forms like dance, music and craft are ingrained in the culture of West Bengal. In the field of fine arts Bengal's name has been written in golden words. The main contributors in this field are Abanindranath Tagore, Nandalal Bose, Jyotirindranath Tagore, Jamini Roy, Gaganendranath Tagore, Ramkinkar Baize, Rabindranath Tagore.
Even in the field of literature Bengal has contributed immensely. The legendary writers of Bengali origin are Kabi Jayadeva, Rabindranath Tagore, N.C. Chowdhuri, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, Isvar Chandra Gupta, Madhusudan Dutta, Sarat Chandra Chatterjee, Amitav Ghosh, Arundhati Roy, Sukumar Roy, Kazi Najrul Islam, Jivananda Das, Bibhutibhushan Banerjee, Sunil Gangopadhaya, Shirshendu Mukherjee and many more. The cultural heritage has been influenced by various folk music and dance like Baul music, Gombhira, Bhawaiya, Chhau Dance.
People
People of West Bengal belong to different caste, culture, creed, religion and sect. The traditional dress of the people of Bengal is the dhoti with a shirt. The modern urban population prefers pyjama and trousers for its convenience. But the elderly people still enjoy wearing this traditional dress. Women both in rural and urban areas wear sari, including trousers, salwar kameez etc. 40 distinguished communities of tribes are found in West Bengal, some of them are the Santals, Munas, Oraons, Lepchas, and Bhutias. These tribes constitute nearly one-tenth of the total population of the state.
The people of West Bengal are mostly Hindus and follow the religious way of Hindus. A major portion of the population is comprised of Muslim community. There are also people who follow Buddhism, Christianity and Sikhism. The cosmopolitan nature of the society is due to the wide variety of people residing in the state. One of the main occupations of the people of West Bengal is agriculture. The rural people are engaged in the cultivation of rice, wheat, pulses, and vegetables etc. that cater not only to the requirement of the state but also of the country. The people of West Bengal speak Bengali, but languages like Hindi, Punjabi, Bhojpuri are also spoken here.
Last Updated on 21 March 2013
